Improvement in wind-wheels



lUNITED STATES W. ll'.

BENSON, OF `rVFlUllllKA, ALABAMA.

|MPRovEMi-:NT IN WIND-WHEELS.

Specification forming` part of Letters Patent No. 22,696, dated January 25, 1859.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

3e it known. that I, NV. H. BENSON, of fetumpka, in the county of Coosa and State of Alabama, have invented a` new and Improved \Vind-\\`vheel; and l do hereby declare that the followinf.;` is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of t h is specification, in whichd Figure l is a side view ot' my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

'lhis invention consists in constructing the wheel of a series of thin narrow strips of wood or other suitable materials placed on a common axis which passes through their centers, and so disposing or spreading the strips and securing them together that a section of a screw or spiral flanges will be formed, which constitute the improvement.

The object of the invention 'is to obtain a wind-wheel extremely simple in construction, one that may be readily repaired when neeessary, and at the same time not liable to get out of repair, and efficient in its operation.

.lo enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a horizontal shaft, which is fitted in a suitable framing I3.

C is a dru n1 placed on said shaft, and a represents a series of' strips or slats which are placed on the shaft A. These strips or slats are of equal length, and they are placed on the shaft one in front of the other, as shown clearly in Fig. l, the shaft passing through the centers of the strips o. The strips or slats o, after being placed on the shaft A, are spread out so as to slightly overlap each other, and the strips are then secured permanently together and also to the shaft A.

"lhe spreading of the strips or slats (l. will form them into the section of a screw, which may be of greater or less length according to the number of strips used and their thickness. The wind-wheel, therefore, is of screw form and will be rotated by the action` of the wind when the wheel is made to face it.

The frame Il may be arranged in any proper way and provided with a vane, as usual, so that the wheel may be kept facing the wind, the power being taken from the shaft A b y means of belts or any suitable arrangement of gearing.

lVood would probably be used in the construction of the wheel, although other materials might be employed. The wheel will operate placed either on a horizontal, vertical, or inclined shaft. It may be constructed by those possessing but little mechanical skill, as the spiral is formed by merely overlapping the strips, and consequently there is no chalice of a mechanic goingastray, thelength and breadth of the strips and also the amount of overlap being given.

This wheel may be very eheaplyconstructed, and will prove highly valuable to farmers and others who occasionally require power for various purposes which would not pay to employ steam-engines and expensive apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Constructing a wind-wheel of a series of strips or slats c, placed centrally on a shaft A, spread and overlapped and secured together and lio the shaft A, substantially as shown and described.

\V. II. BENSON.

Witnesses:

J. S. PORTER, J. E. DUKE. 

